Scottish Executive

Alcohol Misuse

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it has made available to support its Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems and how much has been distributed to date and to what projects.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Executive has made £2.77 million available through central budgets in 2003-04 to support local and national action to tackle alcohol problems. This includes support for local alcohol action teams, funding for national communications campaign, support for a national alcohol information resource and core funding for Alcohol Focus Scotland.

  Funding for services addressing alcohol problems is provided within resources allocated to NHS boards and local authorities, but is not specifically identified by the Executive. The partnership agreement includes a commitment to increase resources for alcohol services and we expect to make a formal announcement on the level of new resources in the next few weeks.

Care of Elderly People

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in updating the calculations in the original national review group recommendations on the costs of care in care and nursing homes, it has been able to calculate the additional cost per resident of water supply to such homes and, if so, whether it will publish these calculations.

Mr Tom McCabe: A working group has been established to consider a mutually acceptable framework for assessing the cost of providing nursing and residential care for older people from 2005-06. The working group consists of representatives from COSLA and the independent care sector. The group is looking at a wide range of costs, including utility charges. It is due to report by the end of February.

  Local authorities and the care sector will discuss shortly the level of fees that are to be applied in 2004-05 in accordance with the recommendations of the national review group report.

Concessionary Travel

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority has spent on concessionary travel fares in each year since 1995.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is as follows.

  Concessionary Fares Net1 Revenue Expenditure

  

 
 1996-97
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03 
  
  (Provisional)


 Scotland
 43,605
 42,441
 41,968
 41,349
 39,739
 39,070
 65,143


 Aberdeen 
  City
 2,605
 2,720
 2,507
 2,427
 1,770
 1,529
 3,410


 Aberdeenshire
 1,502
 1,187
 1,273
 875
 596
 598
 1,661


 Angus
 716
 816
 760
 800
 782
 556
 943


 Argyll 
  and Bute
 899
 776
 774
 733
 727
 869
 1,415


 Clackmannanshire
 422
 394
 383
 371
 485
 556
 545


 Dumfries 
  and Galloway
 577
 603
 629
 697
 640
 682
 878


 Dundee 
  City
 2,936
 2,717
 2,543
 2,411
 2,255
 1,590
 2,513


 East 
  Ayrshire
 1,069
 1,090
 1,094
 1,044
 1,043
 1,113
 1,475


 East 
  Dunbartonshire
 844
 875
 894
 866
 884
 905
 1,730


 East 
  Lothian
 986
 838
 548
 726
 712
 750
 1,087


 East 
  Renfrewshire
 715
 726
 735
 706
 714
 725
 1,381


 Edinburgh 
  City
 4,443
 3,780
 3,489
 4,449
 4,488
 3,954
 5,873


 Eilean 
  Siar
 43
 53
 53
 56
 72
 72
 238


 Falkirk
 1,144
 1,091
 1,267
 1,222
 1,202
 1,311
 1,812


 Fife
 4,022
 4,341
 4,802
 4,782
 4,551
 4,595
 5,108


 Glasgow 
  City
 5,619
 5,505
 5,431
 5,077
 5,009
 4,901
 9,042


 Highland
 486
 399
 444
 393
 367
 371
 1,195


 Inverclyde
 807
 799
 791
 746
 739
 738
 1,378


 Midlothian
 775
 706
 793
 638
 717
 625
 921


 Moray
 576
 530
 464
 578
 377
 235
 566


 North 
  Ayrshire
 1,173
 1,192
 1,200
 1,147
 1,159
 1,166
 2,210


 North 
  Lanarkshire
 2,440
 2,516
 2,530
 2,421
 2,442
 2,645
 4,543


 Orkney 
  Islands
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 14
 139


 Perth 
  and Kinross
 751
 756
 671
 487
 307
 793
 1,158


 Renfrewshire
 1,421
 1,468
 1,481
 1,412
 1,417
 1,426
 2,694


 Scottish 
  Borders
 202
 228
 249
 225
 301
 154
 503


 Shetland 
  Islands
 50
 69
 39
 123
 87
 110
 71


 South 
  Ayrshire
 1,148
 1,160
 1,169
 1,114
 1,117
 1,122
 2,116


 South 
  Lanarkshire
 2,412
 2,457
 2,469
 2,350
 2,370
 2,388
 4,499


 Stirling
 527
 596
 644
 515
 532
 419
 787


 West 
  Dunbartonshire
 846
 836
 832
 784
 779
 776
 1,435


 West 
  Lothian
 1,449
 1,217
 1,010
 1,174
 1,098
 1,382
 1,817



  Source: LFR 5 return to the Scottish Executive (1996-97 to 2001-02), POBE return to the Scottish Executive (2002-03).

  Notes:

  1. Net expenditure is expenditure to be financed from grants, non-domestic rates, council taxes and balances.

  Prior to 1996-97 expenditure data was broken down by the 12 regional and island councils. We have therefore excluded 1995-96 from the table as the data per council is not comparable with the current 32 unitary authorities.

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that the built environment complies with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Ms Margaret Curran: Employers and service providers must meet accessibility obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) including, from October 2004, a duty to make reasonable adjustments to physical features of premises. The DDA is reserved UK legislation.

  The Scottish Executive has taken many steps to improve accessibility for disabled people, including adjustments to physical features. These include:

  Access audits of core Scottish Executive buildings across the estate.

  Support for over £500 million of local authority housing capital investment in the current year, through grant and support for borrowing. This is an increase of 40% on 2000-01. Councils establish their own capital investment priorities and should take into account their responsibilities under the DDA.

  The Scottish Executive Health Department has established a Disability Steering Group to assist the NHS in compliance with the DDA. The steering group has cross-sectoral representation including the Disability Rights Commission, the Scottish Disability Equality Forum, Capability Scotland and the NHS.

  The Scottish Executive has recently agreed to fund an umbrella body which will support local access panels in improving disabled peoples' access to the built environment.

  For schools the DDA does not cover physical alterations. However, the Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils’ Educational Records) (Scotland) Act 2002 requires that positive steps be taken to improve access to school premises, to the curriculum and to school information. The first accessibility strategies were to be prepared by April 2003 and the Scottish Executive is providing £9 million/£17 million/£17 million in 2003-06 to help education authorities implement their strategies. This additional funding can be further supplemented by use of the school refurbishment and improvement budget, by school estate public and private partnership projects, and by the National Priorities Action Fund Inclusion Programme (£20 million/£25 million/£25 million).

  Further and Higher education were brought within the scope of the DDA through the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 at Westminster.

  An additional £26 million in funding was announced for 2002-03 to help ensure equal access to further and higher education opportunities to all members of society.

  £10 million for the higher education sector to improve disability infrastructure.

  £16 million for further education institutions primarily to strengthen their financial position, contribute to legislative compliance and other local priorities.

  The funds helps both sectors meet the requirements of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001, which requires educational institutions to remove physical barriers and alter premises that could prevent disabled access. Institutions must comply with the legislation by September 2005.

Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many summary convictions have been recorded for offences under the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003, broken down by local authority area.

Cathy Jamieson: The information requested is not yet available from the statistics held centrally.

Equal Opportunities

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with COSLA, the Scottish Trade Union Congress and employers’ organisations about the implementation of EU directive 2000/78/EC.

Ms Margaret Curran: Responsibility for equal opportunities legislation, including the matters dealt with by EU Directive 2000/78/EC, is reserved. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department for Work and Pensions provide information and guidance for employers in England, Scotland and Wales on the regulations and proposed regulations which implement the terms of this directive.

  Within the partnership framework between the Scottish Executive and COSLA, the Scottish Executive undertakes to facilitate consultation with local government on all proposals which affect or might affect the structure, role, functions and financing of local government, including the impact of cross-cutting issues such as equal opportunities.

  Discussions are on-going between Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the STUC on the promotion of fair employment practice and partnership at work.

  Scottish Enterprise has provided information on the new regulations relating to religion and belief and sexual orientation to all of its business advisers and business clients. The Highlands and Islands Equality Forum has been tasked by Highlands and Islands Enterprise with engaging the private, voluntary and public sectors on all aspects of equality legislation and good practice issues.

Higher Education

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive under what circumstances a Scottish student at a Scottish higher education institute would have to pay upfront tuition fees.

Mr Jim Wallace: Tuition fees have been abolished for Scottish domiciled and EU undergraduate students studying full-time higher education courses in Scotland. This support is available to all eligible full-time students to undertake study up to degree level or equivalent, provided they have not previously undertaken such a course with assistance from public funds. A student who undertakes a second course at the same level or who repeats part of a course for which they have previously received fee support will, therefore, have to pay a contribution towards the cost of tuition.

  Most students undertaking higher education courses on a part-time or distance learning basis will have to pay tuition fees although a fee waiver scheme is in place to meet this cost for students who are in receipt of benefits or on a low income.

  Most postgraduate students will pay tuition fees, although full-time students on postgraduate certificate of education, postgraduate diploma in community education courses and those who are eligible for an award under the postgraduate students allowances scheme will have their fees paid.

Higher Education

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish students at Scottish higher education institutions currently have to pay upfront tuition fees.

Mr Jim Wallace: The following table gives details of the number of Scots domiciled students at Scottish higher education institutions who receive no financial support with tuition fees from any external source.

  Scots Domiciled Students at Scottish Higher Education Institutions

  Who Receive No Tuition Fee Support 2001-02

  


 Total
 Full-time
 Part-time


 All 
  students
 31,525
 8,366
 23,159


 Postgraduate 
  students
 8,141
 2,193
 5,948


 First 
  degree students
 11,115
 5,559
 5,556


 Sub 
  degree students
 12,188
 610
 11,578


 FE 
  students
 81
 4
 77



  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Housing

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many private sector housing initiatives have been launched in each of the last 10 years and what local authority funds have been committed to private sector housing initiatives (a) in each of the last 10 years and (b) since April 2000.

Ms Margaret Curran: The following four initiatives involving financial assistance to households in the private sector have been launched in the period since 1994:

  the Empty Homes Initiative (launched in 1997 and since wound up);

  the Warm Deal (launched in 1999, to replace the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme launched in 1990);

  the Central Heating Programme (launched in 2001);

  the Mortgage to Rent scheme (launched in 2003).

  Local authority capital expenditure on private sector housing is described as non-housing revenue account (HRA) housing expenditure. It was, until and including 2002-03, funded from borrowing, revenue, grants and receipts in varying proportions according to each local authority’s financial arrangements. The total non-HRA housing expenditure over the last ten financial years has been:

  

 Year
 Expenditure 
  (£,000)


 1993-94
 118,645


 1994-95
 134,317


 1995-96
 122,331


 1996-97
 92,580


 1997-98
 62,996


 1998-99
 61,830


 1999-2000
 62,511


 2000-01
 61,088


 2001-02
 58,851


 2002-03
 51,504

Information Technology

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered introducing a system, similar to that in Northern Ireland and some regions of England, whereby telecommunication companies have been invited to tender for a contract to provide 100% broadband coverage for an area.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has a stated policy aim for pervasive access to broadband and we have already reached our short-term target on this, of 70% affordable coverage in Scotland. We are now considering a range of potential initiatives to extend coverage further, one of which is to invite companies to tender for a contract to provide broadband to areas beyond the reach of commercial supply.

Inter-Governmental Links

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-1058 and S2W-2070 by Tavish Scott and Mr Andy Kerr on 28 July and 5 September 2003 respectively, what recent dealings it has had with the Nordic Council of Ministers; what involvement it will have with the council in 2004, and whether it will seek full or associate membership of the council in 2004.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has had recent contacts with the Nordic Council of Ministers on a number of policies of common interest, including regional development, through the Nordic-Scottish Action Plan; culture, through the Network North initiative; and the marine environment, at the North Atlantic Conference in Lerwick on 1-2 October 2003. We will continue to pursue these contacts in the year ahead and will consider other opportunities for co-operation where they are likely to deliver benefits for Scotland.

  On the question of membership of the council, I refer the member to the answer given to S2W-2070 on 5 September 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Justice

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total transportation costs have been for judges in each of the last five years, broken down by mode of transport.

Cathy Jamieson: The cost of the car hire service to convey judges on circuit has been as follows:

  

 Year
 Cost


 1998-99
 £ 
  75,792


 1999-2000
 £118,574


 2000-01
 £132,741


 2001-02
 £187,422


 2002-03
 £199,000



  In addition, judges may use private car or train to undertake journeys for which expenses are reimbursed. No details of these costs is readily available.

Justice

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost has been in each of the last five years for out-of-hours transportation services for judges, broken down by mode of transport.

Cathy Jamieson: This information is not held centrally.

Justices of the Peace

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any revised guidelines for the appointment of Justices of the Peace have been issued to Justice of the Peace Advisory Committees in the last year.

Cathy Jamieson: No revised guidelines for the appointment of Justices of the Peace have been issued to Justice of the Peace Advisory Committees in the last year.

Local Government

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been dismissed from each local authority’s employment in each of the last five years.

Tavish Scott: This information is not held centrally.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what academic and vocational education and training is available to young people serving custodial sentences.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont deliver approximately 40,000 learning hours of education, over 50 weeks a year, contracted through Motherwell College. The curriculum covers the five core and basic skills, life skills, cookery, hospitality, arts and crafts.

  Vocational Training is provided and covers bricklaying, joinery, hairdressing, painting and decorating and industrial cleaning. This equates to 1,400 hours per week.

Residential Care

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average weekly cost is per resident with a mental illness in a residential care unit operated by (a) a local authority (b) the private sector and (c) the voluntary sector.

Mr Tom McCabe: The table below provides the information requested:

  Average Weekly Charge per Resident in Homes for People with Mental Health Problems, 2002

  

 Sector
 Average 
  Weekly Charge 2002 (£)


 Local 
  Authority
 412


 Private 
  
 293


 Voluntary
 387


 Total
 375



  Source: SEHD Community Care Statistics – R1 Return.

Roads

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when work will commence on the construction of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and when it will open for use.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-26 on 6 June 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Scottish Executive Finance

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government regarding the impact on the Scottish budget of any increase in the salary of the former Permanent Secretary for the year prior to his retirement.

Mr Andy Kerr: None.

Scottish Executive Funding

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which funding streams in each of its departments have been considered as appropriate funding sources to support and promote breastfeeding.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Health, Education and Development Departments within the Scottish Executive all have an interest in the support and promotion of breastfeeding.

  Within the Health Department the Chief Scientists Office research fund, the Health Improvement Fund and the Section 16b voluntary sector funding stream, have all been considered as appropriate sources of funding.

  Within the Education Department the Sure Start Initiative and the Changing Children’s Services Fund have been considered as appropriate sources of funding. Within the Development Department Social Justice monies have also been used in the support breastfeeding.

Small Businesses

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) start-up and (b) failure rate was for small businesses in (i) Glasgow, (ii) Edinburgh, (iii) Dundee, (iv) Aberdeen, (v) Stirling and (vi) Inverness in each year since 1995.

Mr Jim Wallace: The tables below give VAT registrations and de-registrations expressed per 10,000 of the adult population between 1995 and 2002 (the latest year for which information is available). The information is only available at local authority area level. Consequently there is no data available for the city of Inverness, or for the city of Stirling. Instead information is given for the local authority areas of the Highlands and Stirling district. VAT registrations and de-registrations are published by the DTI Small Business Service.

  Table: VAT Registration Rates, 1995-2002 (Per 10,000 of the population 16 years and over)

  

 Local 
  Authority
 1995
 1996
 1997
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002


 City 
  of Glasgow
 32
 33
 35
 35
 35
 33
 33
 30


 City 
  of Edinburgh
 35
 35
 42
 42
 38
 40
 37
 33


 City 
  of Aberdeen
 38
 39
 44
 40
 33
 33
 30
 35


 City 
  of Dundee
 18
 22
 21
 23
 21
 23
 23
 19


 Highland
 36
 35
 37
 39
 34
 32
 32
 33


 Stirling
 36
 35
 37
 39
 34
 32
 32
 33



  Sources: Department of Trade and Industry, Small Business Service VAT statistics.

  General Register Office for Scotland mid-year population estimates.

  Table: VAT de-registration rates, 1995-2002 (Per 10,000 of the population 16 years and over)

  

 Local 
  Authority
 1995
 1996
 1997
 1998
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002


 City 
  of Glasgow
 30
 29
 31
 36
 35
 35
 34
 37


 City 
  of Edinburgh
 30
 29
 31
 33
 38
 34
 34
 35


 City 
  of Aberdeen
 37
 33
 33
 35
 34
 37
 41
 37


 City 
  of Dundee
 22
 20
 18
 20
 21
 20
 22
 20


 Highland
 37
 35
 37
 39
 34
 32
 32
 33


 Stirling
 33
 34
 31
 30
 34
 32
 31
 27



  Sources: Department of Trade and Industry, Small Business Service VAT statistics.

  General Register Office for Scotland mid-year population estimates.

Sport

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it spent per head of population on promoting and facilitating sport and physical activity in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002 and (e) 2003.

Mr Frank McAveety: There are a number of departments within the Executive whose work and/or funding contributes towards promoting and facilitating sport and physical activity in Scotland (health, education, transport, local authority finance and communities). However, it is not possible to disaggregate their total spend down to this level and therefore is not possible to provide an accurate calculation of spend per head.

  The only elements of Executive spending in this area that can be disaggregated are set out in the following table:

  


 1999-2000
(£m)
 2000-01
(£m)
 2001-02
(£m)
 2002-03
(£m)
 2003-04
(£m)


 Grant-in-aid 
  to sportscotland (including any additional 
  end year funding)
 10.109
 10.309
 12.859
 14.679
 14.702


 Contribution 
  to redevelopment of Hampden
 2.750
 -
 -
 -



 Commonwealth 
  Games (Scotland) Fund 
 -
 -
 -
 2.500
 -


 Physical 
  Activity Task Force budget
 -
 -
 -
 0.500
 -


 Working 
  with Paths To Health; Scottish Out of School Network; Scottish 
  Youth Dance; and SUSTRANS




 0.437


 Core 
  Funding of Cycling Scotland 
 -
 -
 -
 -
 0.200


 Cycling, 
  Walking & Safer Streets allocation to local authorities
 -
 5.200
 3
 4.600
 8


 Contribution 
  to funding of Bike Week
 -
 -
 -
 0.005
 0.008

Tourism

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will now publish its review of area tourist boards.

Mr Frank McAveety: Since the Summer, the ad hoc group of ministers on tourism has been examining the state of Scottish tourism, and the public expenditure devoted to it. We are considering the outcome of the area tourist board review in context of these wider issues. We need a support structure for the sector that is not only right for today’s market but will stand us in good stead for the future, because this is an industry with a long term future. We hope the group’s conclusions can be announced soon.

Water Charges

Mr Alasdair Morrison (Western Isles) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a decision has been made on the level of water charges for 2004-05.

Allan Wilson: Yes. I would like to announce three decisions that we have made on water charges.

  Firstly, following the failure of Scottish Water and the Water Industry Commissioner to come to an agreement on the scheme of charges for 2004-05, under the procedures laid down in the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 it has fallen to ministers to decide the levels of individual charges. We have decided that household charges will be harmonised across Scotland, that non-domestic customers should have below inflation increases and that a low user tariff should be introduced that will benefit those non-domestic customers with a 20mm pipe that use less than 25m3 of water in a year.

  Secondly, we have decided to continue the reduction scheme for households which receive council tax benefit. Like the existing scheme, this will help vulnerable households adjust to increases in charges over time, rather than being faced with sudden large increases.

  The "threshold" for the financial year 2004-05 will be £240. This is the amount which households will have to pay before becoming eligible for a reduction in water and sewerage charges in line with the amount of council tax benefit they receive.

  Thirdly, we have decided to hold a consultation on the principles of charging, as recommended in the recent report by the Water Customer Consultation Panels. We will publish a consultation document and facilitate a widespread discussion over the summer. We anticipate this will cover the full range of concerns raised, including the total size of bills, the appropriate mix of fixed and volumetric charges for all types of customer, whether alternatives to the use of rateable values can be used in the calculation of charges, the extent to which metering should be encouraged, what kinds of discount and cross-subsidy are appropriate, what sustainable use of water should mean in practice and how all of these compare with England and Wales. If the evidence is there to support it, the consultation could lead to more fundamental changes than the proposals which Scottish Water and the Commissioner were discussing.

  The outcome of this consultation process will be an important element of an overall strategic review of charging, which will set limits on how much money Scottish Water can raise in charge income over the period 2006-10 and establish how customers can be charged within these limits.